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Head Coach Steve Babineau was hired as the head coach of the Saint Joseph’s men’s soccer side prior to the start of the 2009 season and has raised the bar for the program considerably during his five seasons.

Overview:

In five seasons, Babineau has recorded a 54-40-6 (.575) overall record and a 29-16-2 (.644) mark versus Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents. He guided the Monks to the program’s first conference championship since 2000 (and second overall) in 2009 and became the second head coach in SJC Athletics history to claim conference crowns in two of the first three seasons at the helm with another GNAC title in 2011. Both championships yielded NCAA Tournament berths – the first two national tournament bids in team history.

With a 3-0 victory over University of Southern Maine on September 11th, 2013, Babineau became the winningest coach in Saint Joseph's men's soccer history. The win, his 46th as the Monks’ skipper, pushed Babineau past former SJC bench general Bob Bourget, who recorded a 45-56-6 (.446) record during six seasons at the helm.

Recently:

The Monks went 10-8-1 overall and 6-3 in GNAC play under Babineau’s watch during the 2013 campaign. Facing tough non-conference foes early, the Royal Blue opened the year with three-consecutive losses, but rebounded by posting the longest winning streak – seven games – in the 24-year history of the SJC men’s soccer program.

Saint Joseph’s improved to 10-4-1 overall and 6-0 in conference play with a 3-0 triumph over Rivier University on October 14th but, unfortunately, injuries began to mount and depth became a concern as the Monks dropped four straight to close out the season. The #2 seed in the GNAC Tournament, Saint Joseph’s fell to #7 Albertus Magnus College, 1-0, in the first round of the playoffs.

The disappointing ending should not completely overshadow the accomplishments of several individuals, including senior Kyle Shangraw (Westbrook, Maine), who garnered First Team All-GNAC, First Team ECAC All-New England and Second Team NSCAA All-Region accolades after leading the team in goals (13), assists (6), points (32), shots (85), shots on goal (40) and game-winners (6) in the fall. Senior back Dan McIntyre (Sparta, N.J.) also earned First Team All-GNAC honors and senior forward Zach Johnson (Westbrook, Maine), a Second Team honoree, collected All-GNAC accolades for the third time in as many seasons at Saint Joseph’s.

Past Seasons:

In 2012, Saint Joseph's went 10-7-2 overall and 6-3-1 versus conference opponents en route to claiming the #3 seed in the GNAC Tournament. Sitting with a sub-.500 record in early October, the Monks proceeded to notch six straight victories heading into the postseason, but saw their hopes of a repeat-championship come to a close with a 3-0 loss to #6 Emerson College in a GNAC Tournament quarterfinal on October 27th.

Under Babineau’s guidance in 2011, the Monks went 14-6 overall and 7-3 in GNAC matches, rolled through the conference tournament on the way to collecting the program's second GNAC Championship in three seasons, and earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the second time in program history. With 17 freshmen and sophomores on the roster, the 2011 side broke the SJC men's soccer marks for winning percentage (.700), fewest losses (6), and most shots (373) and tied the team records for wins (14), goals (43), total points (117), and fewest goals allowed (20).

In 2010, Coach Babineau led the Monks to the program’s fourth GNAC Tournament appearance after posting a 3-5-1 record in conference play and a 6-11-2 mark overall. The 2010 side featured 14 underclassmen and faced a schedule that included four 2010 NCAA Tournament participants and one ECAC tourney qualifier.

In his first year as the Monks’ clipboard carrier, Babineau guided the SJC side to its first conference crown since the 2000 campaign. In 2009, St. Joe’s posted a 14-8-1 overall record and went 7-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play en route to capturing the top seed in the GNAC Tournament. During the season, the Monks set program records for wins, winning percentage (.636) and shutouts (11). Also, the Monks paced the conference in all defensive categories and ranked highly in the region in fewest goals allowed and save percentage.

Previously:

Babineau, a native of Windham, Maine, came to St. Joe's after serving two years as an assistant for the women's program at the University of New England. While at UNE, he helped steer the Nor'easters to a pair of TCCC tournament appearances and a trip to the ECAC Championship Tournament in 2008. UNE posted a 15-6 record last season, improving upon the 5-11-1 2007 campaign.

Prior to his time at the University of New England, Babineau spent three seasons (2004-06) at the University of Southern Maine as a Women's Soccer Assistant. The Huskies advanced to the LEC tournament in each of his three years in Gorham and made an appearance in the ECAC Championship Tournament in 2005.

Aside from his stints at UNE and USM, Babineau has coached at various levels since 1999. He worked as an assistant for the men's program at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (1998-99) for one season and has coached at the high school and youth levels as well. He currently holds a USSF National ‘C' License and serves as the head coach for the U17 Boys Seacoast United group.

As a player, Babineau was a four-year varsity player for the University of Maine at Presque Isle and was named First Team All-Maine Athletic Conference on three occasions. He also garnered All-New England Honorable Mention, All-Northeast Region, and MAC Player of the Week honors during his playing days at UMPI. In 1999, the Connecticut Wolves A-League team invited him for a professional tryout.

Personal:

Babineau is a graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Therapeutic Recreation. He went on to attain a Master's Degree in Sport Management from the California University of Pennsylvania in 2007.

Aside from his coaching duties, Babineau serves as the Game Operations Coordinator at Saint Joseph's. He lives in Gray, Maine with his wife Shannon, son Landon, and daughter Reese.

*NCAA Tournament appearance